Episode
Ep. 220: California Farmers, Government Money & Playing the Game!
- Podcast
- Talk Dirt to Me
- Published
- Jan 9, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 4127
- Processing state
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Summary
In this episode of Talk Dirt To Me, Logan Hanks and Bobby Lee are packing their bags and heading west to California for the American Farm Bureau National Convention, where they'll be performing a live podcast on Saturday, January 10th representing everyday farmers on a national stage. You can live stream it at FB.org! It's at 3pm PST. But this episode isn't about glitz. It's about reality. Logan breaks down what the farm economy really looks like heading into 2026, and it's not pretty. After putting pencil to paper, even with drastically cut input costs, reduced equipment expenses, and average yields, the profit margins are razor-thin, barely enough to keep most operations alive. This is the side of farming no one wants to talk about. The guys also tackle California agriculture, sharing why they have deep respect for the farmers who choose to stay and fight for food production in a state that has made it increasingly difficult to operate. Politics may be broken, but California farmers aren't giving up. Then things get even more interesting… There are strong rumblings of a large government farm payment coming this fall, and Logan and Bobby break down what it could mean. Finally, they wrap with listener questions, including one that's got people wondering: Can you legally list a friend as the operator of your farm for a year to reset USDA beginner loan eligibility? That question alone could change how some farms survive. The Made in America segment this week features Fill-Rite Nozzles — rugged, American-made equipment farmers depend on when it matters most. If you want the truth about American agriculture, not the press-release version, this episode delivers it. Go check out Agzaga! It is the ultimate online farm store. American owned and operated. Go check out their sit…